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Catwoman (Arkhamverse)
Preferring to grow up on the mean and violent streets of Gotham City instead of her broken home, Selina Kyle used her stealth, cunning, martial art skills, and sex appeal to steal numerous treasures and objects of value as the cat burglar appropriately named Catwoman. While on the opposite side of the law, Batman still sees the good in Selina due to her principled code of ethics with the pair becoming close allies at times. After being arrested and brought into Arkham City by Hugo Strange during a skirmish with Two-Face, Catwoman seeks to settle her score with Two-Face and take advantage of the chaos and confusion within the prison compound to satisfy her own greed and lust by breaking into the Confiscated Goods Vault and helping herself to all the loot stored inside. Biography ''Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate'' Three months after the events at Blackgate, Catwoman conducted a cat burglary at a government building to steal data. It was during this time that she first encountered Batman, who attempted to stop her. Batman pursued her throughout Gotham until cornering her at the top of a construction site, while also fending off members of the DEO who were after both of them (Catwoman for her theft and Batman due to the mistaken belief that he was an accomplice to her). She managed to transfer the data to an unknown contact (implied to be Amanda Waller), and fought Batman, only to end up defeated. Batman then left her to be captured by the GCPD, although not before attempting to interrogate her about her employer, offering a lesser sentence if she complied. Unknown to Batman, however, Catwoman deliberately let herself get defeated and sent to Blackgate as part of her mission: To break out Bane. Two weeks later, after a riot broke out, Catwoman was forced to alter her plans after Batman arrived at the prison. Relaying to him information relating to Joker, Penguin, and Black Mask taking over the Administration, Cell Blocks, and Industrial Wings of Blackgate Prison, she entered an uneasy truce with the caped crusader. She eventually betrayed him after he accessed the Arkham Wing, and revealed she made a deal with one of the kingpins to wire the prison with bombs, knowing full well that Batman cannot risk having them go off at the prison just to prevent her escape. However, because of Bane's diminished status, she wasn't able to get beyond the lighthouse area before Batman caught up with her and Bane. Catwoman then entered a final fight with Batman, even blinding him, although she nonetheless ended up defeated. She then was taken back into custody. However, Amanda Waller and Rick Flagg, who had instigated the riot, ended up purging her criminal record and let her go free as they had promised her. ''Batman: Arkham Asylum'' While Catwoman does not appear in the video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, her clawed gloves and mask appear on display at the East Wing Corridor of the old Arkham Mansion and she was crossed off from the party list, suggesting she was, or is an inmate. After Arkham Shortly before Arkham City's opening, Batman is found surrounded by TYGER guards in a trap set up by Strange designed to capture him. Fortunately Batman receives help from Catwoman, who has infiltrated the city, and rescues him using a prisoner convoy vehicle she had intercepted from a TYGER guard that was transferring Poison Ivy from Arkham Asylum to Arkham City. Catwoman informs Batman that she had made an uneasy alliance with Ivy to which Batman warns her that she shouldn't be playing such a dangerous game with Ivy. As Strange's grip tightened and the gates of Arkham City slammed shut on Gotham criminals, only three were left at large; Two-Face, Catwoman and Batman. Catwoman sat in her apartment, debating whether to flee, when her phone rang. On the other end: the unmistakable voice of Two-Face. "Sorry, Kitty-Cat, but one of us had to go down." Suddenly, TYGER guards were at her door. Fleeing, Catwoman fought her way through guard after guard to the safety of a nearby roof. She could only watch as the guards ransacked her apartment until they found her safe. She readied her claws, but a shadowy figure appeared behind her and held a gloved hand over her mouth until she passed out. Catwoman came to in the Batmobile as it raced through the streets of Gotham. She angrily told Batman that he should not have gotten involved. Batman told her to give up on her loot and leave town before it was too late. Undeterred, she asked how Batman knew so much about Arkham City. He explained that he had found a secret room in Quincy Sharp's office back at Arkham Asylum, filled with detailed plans for the new prison complex. Catwoman thanked him and pressed the emergency eject button on her seat. The Batmoblie screeched to a halt, but it was too late. Catwoman had disappeared...and Batman knew exactly where she was headed. Two-Face was already in the warden's office in Arkham Asylum, photographing the plans to the secret vault inside Arkham City. As Catwoman burst into the room, Two-Face laughed as he tossed the originals into the fire. Furious, she knocked him to the ground, grabbed the camera and ran. With seemingly no escape for either of them and TYGER guards alerted and closing in fast, Catwoman was suddenly pulled to safety by Batman, leaving Two-Face to be captured. As Catwoman ascended, she opened the camera to reveal her prize only to find the memory card had vanished, She looked down on Two-Face who was showing her the card, before calmly swallowing it. Furious, Catwoman sliced though the line and plummeted to the ground, only to be surrounded by TYGER guards, arrested and taken to Arkham City. After Batman interfered with Two-Face's trial against the Joker, he met with Catwoman on the rooftops of Park Row, where she commented that she hoped never to end up in a courtroom again. Catwoman decides to break into Hugo Strange's office to retrieved her loot that was confiscated upon her arrest. TYGER guards capture her and bring her before Strange, where he conducts a psychological interview with her as a means to discover more about her criminal motives and her relationship with Batman. Catwoman at first refuses to answer his question until he threatened her by revealing he has got a TYGER agent who has Holly Robinson in his sights, awaiting orders from Strange to kill her if necessary. Catwoman proceeds to answer his questions and in return Hugo reveals that the location of the Confiscated Goods Vault plans is in Two-Face's vault in his former campaigning office used when he was running for District Attorney of Gotham City. ''Batman: Arkham City'' Having been tipped off by Strange, Catwoman breaks into the campaign office to steal the memory card holding the plans, beats up Two-Face's thugs, but ends up captured by Two-Face at gunpoint. She was then about to be executed by Two-Face in the courthouse in front of his henchmen, both due to her previous theft and as a means to ensure Two-Face would rise in the ranks of Arkham City. Two-Face then decided after flipping a coin to hold a trial instead of killing her immediately. This ultimately gave Batman enough time to infiltrate the courtroom and beat up his gang. After she is saved by Batman, she doesn't elaborate on any knowledge on what is going on in Arkham City or on what Hugo Strange is up to, but she doesn't trust the latter either way as he was absent for a year and then came under command of Sharp. She also narrowly evades a sniper shot from the Joker. Batman tells her it's not safe and leaves to pursue Joker. With Batman busy, Catwoman plans on stealing from Strange's vault. However, she is unsure about how to get in. After retrieving her weapons from her apartment, she goes to Poison Ivy for help. Ivy refuses to help Catwoman because of their last encounter, in which Catwoman accidentally killed a rare plant of Ivy's, the last remaining of which is in Strange's vault. Catwoman makes a deal with Ivy to retrieve the plant from the vault if Ivy can get her in. Ivy agrees and smashes the door down with her plants. Catwoman sneaks in and steals security cards from the TYGER guards and is able to stealthily take them down and enter the vault. In the midst of all this, Strange activates Protocol 10, destroying a whole city block nearby. Catwoman reluctantly leaves behind her stolen goods and goes to find Batman, who the TYGER guards say to be nearing death. She finds Batman buried beneath rubble and helps him. She was eventually kidnapped, alongside Poison Ivy, The Carpenter, and Vicki Vale by the Mad Hatter, and brainwashed into believing they are specific characters from Alice in Wonderland (in Catwoman's case, the Cheshire Cat), and later ended up fighting Batman alongside the others before Batman removed the effects of her brainwashing. At the very end, Catwoman watches from afar Batman carrying Joker's corpse out of the theater. After the events of the game, Catwoman goes to her apartment to get her stuff and leave the city, but the apartment was destroyed in an explosion that was triggered when Catwoman tried to enter. Catwoman was unconscious. A group of Two-Face's thugs surrounded her and wondered if she was alive. Catwoman woke up and mercilessly beat up the thugs. Angry, she interrogates a thug and threatens him to tell her where her things are. The thug tells her that Two-Face has her things at the museum, and Catwoman responds by knocking him out with a knee to the face on the floor, as punishment for blowing up her apartment. She goes to the museum, fights Two-Face, and discovers that due to his obsession with duality, Two-Face has kept half her stuff and gave the other half away, angering Catwoman and making her knock out Two-Face with a solid punch to the face. Soon after, Catwoman goes around the city beating up Two-Face's thugs to get her items back. ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' Catwoman has no interest in joining Scarecrow's villain team-up to destroy Batman and Gotham, trying instead to get information on them to use as leverage when the Dark Knight eventually confronts her about her crimes. She ends up busted and caught. The Riddler, a member of the te am-up, uses her as bait to lure Batman to play his nefarious games, seeking retribution on the Dark Knight for the humiliation and defeat he received in Arkham City. Batman arrives at an abandoned Pinkney's orphanage where he uncuffs her from the inactive electric chair she was restrained to and she removes the black cloth she was blindfolded with and discovers that the Riddler has strapped her neck with an explosive collar that will detonate if he attempts to disarm it or if Catwoman leaves the premise of the orphanage. In order to free her, Batman will have to go through a mix of combat and puzzle challenges around the city that will direct him to collect a set of keys to unlock the collar. After Batman frees Catwoman, she laments that he's all about work when he turns her down when she suggests they find a hotel room. She then leaves to plunder Gotham, teasingly suggesting that she breaks into Wayne Manor. She appears again when Batman collects all Riddler trophies and assists him against Nigma. After Batman places the defeated Riddler into his Batmobile, she requests a kiss from Batman. Batman turns her down explaining they cannot be together and that Gotham needs someone worse than Batman, a new and different legend. She asks if she will ever see him again, but he quickly tells her no one will. She kisses Batman, fully acknowledging he is Bruce, commenting that he cannot do some things on his own. Bruce turns her down again and disagrees, stating some things he must do on his own, and retiring as Batman is one of them. As Batman is walking towards to the Batmobile she tells him to call her if needed, only with Batman replying he won't. She remarks how she knew he was going to say that, but nonetheless lets him go. The two of them finally part ways as Batman enters the Batmobile and drives away with the Riddler. Catwoman's Revenge Shortly after the events of the Knightfall Protocol and Bruce Wayne's disappearance, Catwoman, still not entirely satisfied with her defeat of the Riddler, proceeded to track down his base of operations with the intention of stealing any cash he has on him and then destroying everything he worked on as revenge for his earlier actions to her. She then encountered one of Riddler's thugs, and then proceeded to interrogate him for his base's whereabouts. She eventually discovered that the base was located in the Winslow's Toy Shop. However, she couldn't access the base's entrance because she needed three key cards, requiring she stealthfully pickpocket three of his goons while they were on guard to get the cards necessary to bypass the entrance. She ultimately managed to do so, although this instead set up a puzzle she needed to bypass. In addition, because the guard witnessed the entrance disappearing underneath the grate, they became privy to her presence and began hunting her down. After taking them out, she then proceeded to bypass the puzzle to fully access the entrance, although with enough difficulty for her to irritably state that it is officially her last puzzle she'll ever attempt to solve. Catwoman then found his base: an entire Riddler-bot factory, just as Riddler was making contact with his computer. She then had to fight off several Riddler-bots and fend off against traps. She ultimately succeeded in accessing the computer (which was partially Riddler's fault as he while gloating to her ended up verifying the encryption protocols to the computer), and then proceeded to transfer the $2,730,000 from his account to her own, as well as taunting him about his escape plan involving Riddler-bots. As Riddler is being subdued by Cash and his guards after catching on to Riddler's plans (as he had earlier attempted to cover his contacting the computer to orchestrate his escape attempt by claiming he was calling his lawyer), she then proceeded to set the computer to self-destruct, although not before tauntingly telling him goodbye. The computer then exploded just as Riddler is being tasered. Personality Drawing the fine line between hero and criminal, Selina Kyle is a master thief, ambiguous hero, deadly adversary and advantageous ally to Batman. Caring for own wellbeing above all, Selina went by less than favourable means to survive growing up on the streets of Gotham from a young age, such as looting and stealing. Penultimately, Selina is with morals but seems to prefer pretending to not have as she learnt to ignore scruples for the sake of survival and as it suits her alignment between both sides better for her own benefit rather than remaining on one side alone. That said her self-serving nature does not limit her from caring for another person such as fellow street urchin, Holly Robinson. Since her alignment with Batman, her burst of conscience surprise Selina herself. For a thief, Selina does her best to avoid killing enemies and only non-lethally incapacitates them although her more bendable morality makes her just as capable of killing as she seriously threatened Hugo Strange with death when he threatened Holly to get her to comply. She seems to get along well with most of Gotham's criminals as she usually gives most of them affectionate if not slightly demeaning nicknames and comes to them - or them her - for help with her burglary. Selina hates the fact that other criminals believe her to have principles by feeding Batman information based solely on altruism, implying she enjoys her reputation as a criminal within Gotham As Hugo Strange divulges through Arkham City Patient Files, Selina has a deep distrust towards men due to her own father abandoning her from childhood. Like most Gotham Sirens, she is portrayed as the pinnacle of the domination over men as her attire and combat skills employ her own sexuality to gain an advantage. Despite this level of misandry, Selina has displayed a close if not complex relationship with Batman. Given her reaction during Patient Files, she has obvious romantic feelings for the Dark Knight and this is displayed before Batman initiates the Knightfall Protocol outside of Riddler's orphanage. Her relationship with Batman has also caused her growing morality due to the two of them first encountering one another as an even more unscrupulous thief which implies the altercation between the two changed her personality. Amongst her more criminal traits that she still retains is her tendency for revenge such as destroying Poison Ivy's plant in reprisal for attacking her earlier and robbing the Riddler of his funds for kidnapping her in his orphanage. Although originally adopting cat burglary as means of survival, Selina grew to enjoy the thrill of the chase and continued to steal further for no other reason than sheer thrill-seeking. Finding her games of cat and mouse between her and the ethical law of Gotham and Batman himself to be invigorating, she would willingly place herself within dangerous and life-threatening situations for little reason the thrill of it, even though she was perfectly capable of escaping Arkham City after almost being shot by Joker and realising the dangers of the maximum-security prison allows herself to stay, seeing the advantage of further stealing within the city. Despite being relatively unapologetic about her thieving lifestyle, Selina is not necessarily ungrateful as she showed genuine gratitude when Batman was risking his own life to help her, even if she usually responded with more sarcasm. Gameplay Catwoman is a much more flexible character and her combat sequences are faster, requiring skill and precise control. However, Catwoman is limited to three gadgets: a whip, caltrops, and bolas. Also, she cannot use the special disarm takedown, and can only do a normal takedown, and two special takedowns. In combat, Catwoman uses her acrobatic abilities to take down her enemies, ranging from flexible kicks, to jaw-breaking knees to the face, sharp claws to scratch her enemies, and bone-breaking punches to knock out her enemies. Catwoman also seduces her enemies: one of her counters involves her kissing her enemy before throwing him over, and another involves a takedown where she puts the enemy's head between her knees before cracking his neck. In Riddler's Revenge, Catwoman taunts her enemies by saying things like, "Seriously, you boys don't stand a chance," and "Don't make me humiliate you boys." In stealth gameplay, unlike Batman, Catwoman can run behind her enemies without alerting them of her presence. This can prove advantageous for players who like to take out enemies quickly and effectively. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult and time-consuming for Catwoman to jump up to a vantage point, requiring a few leaps to do so, as opposed to Batman who can fire his grapple gun in one go. As opposing to Batman's "detective vision", Catwoman has her own "thief vision", which, in comparison, is much harder to use, presenting a more blurrier and dark image of the surrounding, without all the analysis and, much to make it quite useless, it can't differ armed from unarmed thugs, making this skill very unused. She also has a marking spot in thugs she can use her the flying hits, being three red claw, or scratch markings, though, due her lack of gliding skill, her flying attacks require more proximity to the target, but in closed spaces, the difference is barely noticeable, as she can use the same hanging spots Batman uses. Arkham City Profile: Dr. Hugo Strange Selina Kyle A.K.A Catwoman Her agility and razor-sharp claws will buy Catwoman some time in Arkham City, but without a strong ally or power base it is unlikely that she will remain unscratched for long. Catwoman's best chance is to team up with one or more of the other villains, who are able to offer her some protection in return for her special skills—she is perhaps one of the greatest thieves in the world. Dr. Hugo Strange: Side Note Working alone, Catwoman’s chances of survival in her new high-security home are slim. ~ Dr. Hugo Strange Patient Interviews Tape One *'TYGER Guard:' We found the prisoner attempting to break into your office, sir. *'Hugo Strange:' I see. Leave us. *'TYGER Guard:' Yes, sir. *'Catwoman:' Well, well, as I live and breathe, Professor Hugo Strange. Your posters really don't do you justice. You really are far more evil looking in real life. *'Hugo Strange:' Charmed. Tell me, what do you plan to do, Miss Kyle? I assume that you were attempting to break into my office in order to retrieve your ill-gotten gains. *'Catwoman:' You stole them from me. *'Hugo Strange:' Hardly. The items were confiscated upon your arrest. *'Catwoman:' Yeah, about that. This holiday camp of yours is quaint and all, Hugo, but, I don't think I'll be staying too long. *'Hugo Strange:' Escape is impossible. *'Catwoman:' A girl loves a challenge. *'Hugo Strange:' So do I. Tape Two *'Hugo Strange:' Tell me, what would you do if I let you go? Attempt to escape, try and find the confiscated items... contact the Batman? *'Catwoman:' Why would I contact him? It's his fault I'm in here. *'Hugo Strange:' Is it? I believe you would have escaped if greed had not got the better of you. He was actually in the process of rescuing you, was he not? *'Catwoman:' I didn't need his help. *'Hugo Strange:' Or any man's, it appears. *'Catwoman:' C'mon, you're going somewhere with this. Spit it out. *'Hugo Strange:' I've been studying you. *'Catwoman:' I can see. My eyes are up here by the way. *'Hugo Strange:' Very amusing. Tell me, what was it like, growing up alone, fending for yourself, doing whatever was necessary to stay alive? *'Catwoman:' Please, I'm tearing up here. *'Hugo Strange:' And Holly? What would you do if I sent my men after her. *'Catwoman:' Touch her and you're dead. Tape Three *'Hugo Strange:' Have you calmed down yet? *'Catwoman:' Where is she? *'Hugo Strange:' That depends on your next answer. If you could save one person tonight, who would it be? Holly? Or the Batman? *'Catwoman:' He can look after himself. *'Hugo Strange:' Good. Holly is safe for now, let us talk about Batman. *'Catwoman:' What do you think I can tell you that you don't already know? You've been sending your goons after him for months. He said you were studying him. *'Hugo Strange:' So you speak. Good. You never knew your father, correct? *'Catwoman:' Enough, Strange. This is over. *'Hugo Strange:' If you say so. Captain, do you have the girl in your sights? *'TYGER Guard:' Yes, sir. *'Hugo Strange:' Kill her. *'Catwoman:' No! *'Hugo Strange:' Are you prepared to talk? I thought so. Keep the girl targeted, captain. *'Catwoman:' You bastard. *'Hugo Strange:' Shall we continue? Tape Four *'Hugo Strange:' Your father. Did you ever meet him? *'Catwoman:' Never knew the son of a bitch. *'Hugo Strange:' Unfortunate. He certainly seems to have made an impact on you. The distrust of men, for example. Your relationship with Batman? Would you call it close? *'Catwoman:' Me and the brooding one get along just fine. *'Hugo Strange:' But you want more? But you can't trust men, can you? *'Catwoman:' What? Look, he's spoken for, he must be. How else could he resist all this? *'Hugo Strange:' You are both very similar, aren't you? A shared disregard for the law, a belief that you are doing the right thing, and a similar taste in attire. But beneath the surface there is a weakness. *'Catwoman:' Like hell. *'Hugo Strange:' You both risk everything for a chance at redemption. You tell yourself it's to help her. He does the same for the boy. It's all just to make his life more complete. To become the father he never knew. *'Catwoman:' You don't know anything about him. *'Hugo Strange:' And neither do you. He hasn't confided in you because he doesn't trust you. And it hurts, doesn't it? Tape Five *'Hugo Strange:' I touched a raw nerve, didn't I? *'Catwoman:' Are you still here? *'Hugo Strange:' You're hurt because he knows who you are but you don't know anything about him. Do you... love him? *'Catwoman:' No! *'Hugo Strange:' (chuckling) Holly is safe. I have little interest in the life of a teenage delinquent. Unless of course she finds herself in my facility. *'Catwoman:' What was all this about, Strange? Do you enjoy making people beg? *'Hugo Strange:' Not at all. I am only interested in what makes people do what they do. Soon, you will not have to worry about the Batman. Steal what you like, do you what you must in a futile attempt to steal his heart. You will fail. *'Catwoman:' You sound pretty sure of yourself. *'Hugo Strange:' Plans are afoot, Miss Kyle. Soon, you may wish to re-evaluate your admiration for him. I will be the one standing over his body, and the world will know that Hugo Strange is better than him. *'Catwoman:' Yeah, whatever. *'Hugo Strange:' Two-Face has placed what you are looking for in the safe in his old campaign office. He is someone else who cannot let go of his past. I hope that the contents of that safe make you happy. Trivia *Catwoman is a playable character. She can be added for free when the game is purchased new or available as DLC for a cost. *Players can also download Catwoman outfits from Batman: The Animated Series and The Long Halloween, though it lacks the distinctive tail and whiskers associated with the costume. *In Catwoman's third story mission, if the player chooses to have her leave Arkham City with the loot as opposed to saving Batman, the game will appear to end with Catwoman escaping into Gotham saying "Screw him". However, after a few moments of credits the game will suddenly reverse as though it were a video tape being rewound to the point were Catwoman exits the vault, so that the player may make the right choice and continue the story. *Interestingly, if you look at Catwoman while flipping in and out of her Thief Vision, you will see her goggles slide on and off her face by themselves, as Catwoman doesn't touch them. *Catwoman's design in this game is featured as an alternate skin in Injustice: Gods Among Us, which used to be exclusive for those who pre-order the game at Walmart but it was later made available to buy on the PSN or Xbox Live. See Also *Catwoman (Arkhamverse)/Gallery *Catwoman Category:Batman: Arkham City Characters Category:Batman: Arkham Knight Characters Category:Batman: Arkham Origins Characters Category:Villains Category:Allies Category:Arkham Series Female